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FSU has a pair of $1 million coordinators in Alex Atkins, Adam Fuller

Alex Atkins has been extended until Feb. 2026 and will earn $1.15 million in year 4 with FSU.
Alex Atkins has been extended until Feb. 2026 and will earn $1.15 million in year 4 with FSU. ()

Alex Atkins has been extended through Feb. 2026 as part of a contract that was signed earlier this month, while he and Adam Fuller will each surpass the $1 million salary mark in 2023.

Florida State assistant coach contracts were released on Tuesday as part of a public records request by the Osceola and other news outlets.

Atkins is set to being year 4 at FSU and will earn $1.15 million as FSU’s offensive coordinator / offensive line coach. His salary will escalate to $1.25 million for the 2024 season and to $1.3 million for the 2025 season.

Atkins’ buyout is 100 percent of his total annual compensation if he terminates the agreement with FSU before Dec. 31, 2023 unless he makes a move to the NFL or a professional sports organization, in which case it would be dropped to 15 percent. If Atkins leaves FSU to become a college head coach, there would be no buyout. If he departs FSU during 2024, Atkins would owe 100 percent with exception being an NFL or pro sports job (a 10 percent buyout) or a college head coaching job (no buyout).

The initial deal with Atkins and FSU in the winter of 2020 was for $500,000, and he was bumped up to $850,000 for the 2022 season.

FSU defensive coordinator Adam Fuller continued to see his salary rise coming off the defense's success of the 2022 season. With the two-year extension he signed last Dec. 17, he's now over the seven-figure threshold. He'll make $1.1 million in 2023 and $1.2 million in 2024 after making $900,000 in 2022. He also received $166,666.66 for the interim period between Jan. 1 and Feb. 28 of this year before this new contract goes into effect March 1. Fuller earned $900,000 in his third season as FSU’s defensive coordinator.

Running backs coach / recruiting coordinator David Johnson has been extended through Feb. 2025. He will earn $500,000 in 2023 and $550,000 in 2024. Johnson’s buyout is 50 percent if he leaves for another job, although it is waived if he is named a college head coach or the primary play-calling offensive coordinator at another school. His buyout drops to 25 percent if he departs. Johnson earned $500,000 in 2022.

Special teams coordinator/defensive ends coach John Papuchis also received a two-year extension that goes through Feb. 28, 2025 with a significant raise. He made $600,000 in 2022 and will make $700,000 in 2023-24 and $750,000 in 2024-25 along with an interim payment of $83,333.33 for the last two months.

Not all of the extensions for the FSU defensive coaches are for multiple years. Longtime FSU defensive tackles coach Odell Haggins signed a one-year extension through Feb. 28, 2024, which will pay him $600,000 for the next 12 months. That's the same salary he received for the 2022 season.

FSU linebackers coach Randy Shannon, who just concluded his first season on the on-field coaching staff, also signed a one-year extension that will pay $625,000 for the next 12 months. He was paid a pro-rated salary of $600,000 for 2022.

Patrick Surtain’s contract details can be viewed here.

Quarterbacks coach Tony Tokarz has been extended through Feb. 2025. He will earn $400,000 in 2023 and $450,000 in 2024. Tokarz signed a two-year deal with FSU through December 31, 2023 at $300,000 annually.

Deputy head coach and tight ends coach Chris Thomsen has been extended through Feb. 2024 and will earn $500,000. Thomsen earned $500,000 in 2022 as FSU’s.

Wide receivers coach Ron Dugans has been extended through Feb. 2025. He will earn $500,000 for the 2023 season and $550,000 for the 2024 season. His buyout would be the full amount unless he were hired as a head football coach and drops to 25 percent in 2024, unless he becomes a college head coach or offensive coordinator with primary play-calling authority. Dugans signed a one-year extension with FSU in 2022 for $450,000 as he went into his fourth season as the Seminoles’ receivers coach.

For historical perspective, then-FSU offensive coordinator Kendal Briles earned $1 million during the 2019 football season.

Osceola senior writer Curt Weiler contributed

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